Volume 12 of the ITI Treatment Guide series has clearly demonstrated that for dental implants:

• Osseointegration is simple.

• Soft-tissue integration is difficult.

• Long-term maintenance is complicated.

While osseointegration can be predictably achieved in most circumstances, soft-tissue integration around dental implants is often clinically challenging. Furthermore, the long-term maintenance of peri-implant health may be complicated due to issues related to the condition of the soft tissue present in the area.

In implant dentistry, the attention of clinicians and researchers has primarily been focused on the bone-to-implant interface, based on the observation that implant placement is a safe and predictable procedure. Nevertheless, the possibility of biological complications can never be excluded, even after appropriate diagnosis and meticulous treatment planning. The vast majority of these complications originate within the peri-implant marginal soft tissue. Consequently, there is a need for dental practitioners to gain additional knowledge and to focus more on the status of this soft tissue.

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